The Omagh families did the impossible last week. They have brought us all some welcome good news in a troubled world. After headlines of greedy bankers bringing us to the brink of ruin and politicians with their expenses, they have demonstrated what we all hoped to be true: that there is value to qualities like honesty and that our lives do not need to be defined by greed and money. Their goal had been justice, and they chose to seek it through the rule of law. Unlike the terrorists, they did not seek their objectives through a gun or bomb. And against all the odds, they won a victory that has been celebrated throughout the world.

Their achievement is important for Ireland and for the UK. It is a happy irony that their civil action did more to unite Ireland than the murderers that killed their families. But more than that, the Omagh civil action drew support from across the 32 counties and when the verdict came in, households throughout Ireland raised a toast to their achievement.

For once, the newswires around the world jingled with a positive story from Northern Ireland. The justice the families received in court perhaps demonstrated a turning point from the injustices of the past. One foreign radio interviewer from a troubled country explained to me that he just didn't know how his listeners would understand that an ordinary person could use a court for such a purpose. An American commentator said it showed the peace process was working.

A more obvious legacy of the families' endeavours is that the precedent they have set will be followed. Whether its 7/7 or Mumbai victims, or future victims who find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time, others will pursue similar actions. It's not a question of people never having considered it before, it's about the fact that these few families actually did it and won. Before the Omagh triumph, it is easy to imagine victims of some other terrorist outrage visiting their lawyer and asking about the potential of such a case: "Ah, it's not possible ... there is no precedent …" Now the lawyers will say come in and sit down. The door is open and other victims will walk through it.

But the precedent goes much further than victims of terror. Many victim campaigners will now begin to think about what previously seemed impossible. Some will begin to contemplate whether the victims of Halabja could sue the arms companies that supplied the chemical weapons to Saddam. Environmental campaigners will ponder with more enthusiasm whether actions could be brought on behalf of victims of environmental disasters.

The Omagh victory could start a victim renaissance; and long overdue that is, too.

There are many lessons also to be digested by our politicians. Apart from a few brave mavericks like Peter Mandelson, the majority, albeit generally supportive of the Omagh initiative and wishing the best for the families, did not understand the full impact or possibilities it offered. That is also undoubtedly true of some in the upper echelons of the police and state security. It was viewed by some as a mixture of pie in the sky or even as being troublesome.

It must be stated however, that the rank and file of police officers had a desire to assist the case as far as they were legally able. When the powers that be gave them the nod at the last minute, they came to court and performed their civil duty with professionalism. They have been quoted as saying that they revelled in the sense of achievement and opportunity to nail the bad guys in this case.

Post verdict, it is now time for the politicians to not only accept the legitimacy and value of the civil action process in respect of victims and society as a whole, but also to develop it. It's not just about making funding available, it's about enabling a process for victims to have easier access to information and evidence pertinent to their case. An urgent review of this should be undertaken for the benefit of future victims who should not have to go through the trials and tribulations that the Omagh families did. If anything, the Omagh families have earned that right for future victims.

Throughout this case, myself and others in the legal team pondered, Omagh aside, whether a civil action could become a better vehicle than an inquiry to deal with such matters. As our case dragged on we watched inquiries come and go; all important, all extremely costly and some that seemingly got nowhere or appeared pointless. The legitimacy of a courtroom rather than an inquiry room, the tested rules of evidence and, most important, putting power and decisions in the hands of the victims, could produce far better results than an inquiry could ever hope to achieve. This could be another positive legacy for Omagh.

It was a privilege to represent the Omagh families. It was unforgettable to see their faces beaming as they stepped out of the court, in some cases the first time I'd seen them smile since they'd lost their loved ones that fateful Saturday afternoon. If only their success could offer similar hope for justice to many other victims of terror world over. For, if the feeling they had on that historic day of judgment could be bottled and offered to fellow victims during their darkest hours, I would recommend we produce more.